Joe Satriani vs. Coldplay

[orb451]

So has anyone else heard about Joe Satriani filing a plagiarism lawsuit against Coldplay? Apparently he's suing them because the "Viva La Vida" is a ripoff of the song "If I Could Fly".

Here's a link to Coldplay's song:

Viva la vida coldplay MP3 Download


And here's Satch's song:

YouTube - Joe Satriani - if i could fly


Personally I like Satch's music a lot so I'm biased. Despite the bias though, I can hear *some* similarities with respect to the rhythm and some of the guitar melody but not enough for me to instantly say "Hey! That's a TOTAL ripoff". I've listened to both songs back to back for reference. But given that I've never tried to figure out both songs note for note I'm probably missing what Satch's complaint is really about.

You guys have any thoughts on the subject???

orb.

[dangercityskyline]

i think they're in different keys....

although i will admit that the lead guitar riff is remarkably similar to coldplay's vocal line, it's not similar enough that it couldn't have been a coincidence.

joe probably has a stick up his butt cause coldplay's made millions of dollars, and he hasn't.
i think he's just stirring the pot for the sake of publicity.

besides, think about songs like Clocks, Amsterdam, Speed of Sound, and X&Y.
how could anyone listen to those songs and say Coldplay plagiarizes?

that piano line from Clocks sounds like something from a dream.

[BillyShears]

Satch looks like he will be busy suing the other 1,000,001 people who have also used the same chord progression. He must have blown all his royalties on dodgy hair restoration creams.

[Metal Marc]

Originally Posted by dangercityskyline

that piano line from Clocks sounds like something from a dream.

...which is why I am starting a class-action lawsuit against Coldplay for stealing music from our dreams!

[Louigi Verona]

I believe the riff to be too generic for it to be possible to say that it was stolen. And, putting the jokes aside, I just cannot imagine Coldplay sitting there and discussing:
"okay, guys, let's take this great riff by the legendary guitarist who has tonnes of devoted fans all over the world and whose music is very known, and use it in the song which will be the stand out song on our album. Sure, we wrote the rest of our music ourselves, but this time, for our hit, which will get massive exposure, let's not be creative and just use this cool riff and nobody will find out."
I mean - really. I don't think the guitarist seriously thinks that. He just noticed the similarity of a generic pop song which was written to make money with a generic riff which he wrote to make money and he thought - why not make some more money? That's it.

[dangercityskyline]

on second thought, listening to the song again, joe's case kind of falls apart. the songs are similar - by 3 notes. those first 3 notes of the riff match with the words 'rule the world'.
the similarities end there.

[Ross111]

I don't know how many time I've written a song or a riff, thinking it was great only to have to discard it because I realise that it's someone elses. I think this is what Coldplay have done but didn't notice it in time to mend it.

I read somewhere (ultimate-guitar.com i think) that when Joe confronted Chris about it, Chris didn't want to talk about it which pushed Joe to a lawsuit.

That could be untrue but I think that's what I read.

[P.P.T.]

I think the entire concept of copyrighting a few notes is absurd.

A tune is far, far more than some few notes of melody.

[Ross111]

Originally Posted by P.P.T.

I think the entire concept of copyrighting a few notes is absurd.

A tune is far, far more than some few notes of melody.

I totally see your point but it's not just a few notes, though. I genuinely believe that the similarities are obvious enough to take legal action.


If I had to write a book or a play and pass the phrase "to be or not to be, that is the question" off as my own, then people would instantly accuse me of ripping off Shakespeare. The phrase I copied is "just a few words" just like the melody (and rhythm) that Coldplay copied is "just a few notes".

Blah, I'm rambling..

Just my two cents... And sorry if that's a poor example. I don't read too often.

[Crete]

I'm sure that I'm biased because I really enjoy "Viva la vida" and have never listened to Joe Satriani before this came up but I would have to agree that although I can see the similarities I don't think it's such a big deal. There is a difference between the similarity of just a few notes and the similarity of just a few words because there are thousands of words but only twelve notes. I think that these songs are just so different from one another in so many ways that it shouldn't matter, not to mention the fact that they appeal to completely different fans. I've not met very many people who are Coldplay fans and Joe Satriani fans. I know that has nothing to do with legality it's just the way it would work if I ruled the universe.